Unsuccessful In Traditional Fantasy Ventures, MLS Creates New Game To Lure Fans

Major League Soccer partnered with Big Lead Sports to launch “Pro Soccer Picks,” a new game that asks players to log in with their Facebook account and pick winners and goal scorers in games leading up to the Nov. 21 final.

“Pro Soccer Picks” is less time-consuming than MLS’s initial attempt at a more traditional fantasy game (drafting a team that accumulates points), as the league hopes to engage casual fans, Reuters reports. Financial terms of MLS’s one-year agreement with Big Lead Sports were not disclosed.

According to the article, fantasy sports attract more than 30 million players and generates $1 billion in revenue.

Major League Soccer is wise to pursue fantasy sport while the memory of the World Cup is still somewhat fresh for Americans. The modified format helps because while America has a renewed interest in soccer – thanks in part to the World Cup – many aren’t privy to the subtle statistics they’d need to follow beyond goals and assists.